2PM and FT Island fans are eager to see Taecyeon and Lee Hong Ki in the global edition of the popular reality show We Got Married. The show will pair them up with two starlets from abroad, Emma Wu, a Taiwanese idol singer who is also known as Gui Gui, and Japanese actress Fuji Mina.

The candid interactions between the couples will be filmed while they complete weekly missions and try to understand the differences in their cultures.

We Got Married is a popular program already. Fans in Korea have always appreciated the opportunity to see idols relaxed in casual settings, it serves as a very humanizing and humbling experience. The upcoming global edition has garnered a great deal of international attention and is set to air in 21 different countries. The producers had a lot of success with last year's Chinese edition of the program, and this international version is expected to vamp up the show's popularity around the world.

But the implications of such a reality show go even deeper than just satisfied viewers and increased ratings. There is real potential here for We Got Married to influence the Korean mindset and culture.

South Korea is an extremely exclusive, homogenized country, and while international marriages are becoming more commonplace, they are still widely unaccepted.

Typically speaking, the most common real-life examples are with women from poorer countries in south Asia, and are generally looked down upon in Korean society as a whole. The women are expected to adapt to a new way of life and "Koreanize" when they tie the knot. Children of such arrangements are often taunted and bullied in school.

We Got Married Global Edition is going to help break down these barriers and show audiences that inter-cultural marriages can be successful, but they take some patience and understanding. A global partnership has way less to do with where you come from than who you are.

Living their own real-life version of We Got Married Global Edition, newlyweds Josie Bergin and Suk Chang Ko agree. The couple met while Josie was living and working in South Korea and they currently live in New York City. When asked about her international relationship, the new wife said, "I think any relationship is going to have differences whether it is culture, family dynamic, values, etc. My marriage to a Korean works because we respect and enjoy learning about the differences of our cultures. We don't see our differences as obstacles. Our differences are one of the many reasons why we love each other."

When announcements were made that We Got Married was going global, both Taecyeon and Lee Hong Ki jumped at the chance to appear in the reality show. "Since a long time ago, I have always wanted to get married to a foreigner. There were even times where I imagined myself to be getting married. Although it is make-believe, it feels pretty interesting to be experiencing married life in reality. When I heard that 'We Got Married' was going global, I immediately accepted the offer to appear in it. If it was just the normal 'We Got Married', I would most probably not appear in it," Hong Ki said at a press conference this week.

The four stars answered questions, posed for pictures, and also gave the audience a preview of scenes from the reality show which will premiere next weekend around the world.

The excitement from the crowd leaves us all with high hopes for the program, but keep in mind, these international couples are certainly not limited to the television. Young people all across Korea are looking beyond appearances and culture to prove that love does conquer all, and hopefully We Got Married Global Edition can help them break down the barriers in their own relationships.

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